Chapter 3
“Wow~”
Without even realizing he had spoken out loud, he genuinely admired Contestant No. 2031’s appearance.
‘He’s ridiculously handsome.’
Standing over 180 centimeters tall, with broad shoulders and a small face perched atop them, his features were strikingly defined.
Above his sharp and refined jawline stood a high, prominent nose that anchored the center of his face.
Beneath his long, delicate eyelashes were deep, intense eyes that left a powerful impression.
Though he wore nothing more than a black T-shirt and jeans, the simple outfit only enhanced his clean, captivating aura of an urban gentleman.
‘This guy will definitely attract attention!’
***
After arriving at the audition venue and hurriedly submitting the self-introduction form he had filled out, a staff member handed him a number tag.
‘2031.’
He attached the crudely inked number on the A4 paper to his body.
Entering the waiting room, he sat among the young-faced contestants whose expressions were filled with nervousness, waiting for his turn.
“Ha.”
‘What am I even doing at my age?’
Among the fluffy, baby-faced middle and high school trainees, there were only a few adults.
Ding.
[Sub Quest (1): Pass the first-round audition for the Star Picking 5 audition program.]
‘Got it, damn it.’
[ㅇ]
The translucent blue window appeared briefly as a reminder before disappearing.
After quite some time had passed since he attached his number tag…
A staff member entered the waiting room, where only a handful of trainees remained.
“Contestants 2030 through 2040, please wait in front of the door.”
“Yes.”
‘The Star Picking 5 audition really is one long wait.’
As he stood by the door, Contestant No. 2030 emerged looking utterly defeated.
‘Looks like that guy failed.’
“Contestant No. 2031, please come in.”
Following the staff member’s instructions, he opened the door.
Black cameras hanging from the ceiling watched him like predators.
Seeing the red recording lights glowing from their lenses gave him a strange feeling in his chest.
‘I’ve always been the one behind the camera.’
Having the situation reversed felt oddly unsettling.
Between the cameras sat judges with tired, hollow eyes.
‘Just as I expected. They’re using the audition footage for the broadcast too.’
“Wow.”
“Whoa~”
The sudden exclamations made him instinctively freeze.
‘Damn it, that scared me!’
He calmed his startled heart as the judges’ eyes suddenly lit up with life.
‘First impressions are important. Let’s smile first.’
He gently raised the corners of his lips into the smile he frequently used.
The smile was commonly known as the “interview pass smile,” a smile perfected through years of social survival.
“Hello. I am Contestant No. 2031, Cha Siwoo.”
As he bowed at a ninety-degree angle, cheerful greetings came in return.
“Nice to meet you, Cha Siwoo. I like that you’re so polite.”
‘I’ve never lost anything by bowing ninety degrees.’
“Your smile is really memorable. Why don’t you introduce yourself first?”
“I’m twenty years old, and I’m an independent trainee without an agency.”
“What are you good at?”
“My specialty is…”
‘Something I’m good at… There’s really only one thing.’
“Taking photographs.”
“Photography? That’s quite an idol-worthy skill! What kind of photos do you take best?”
‘Corporate chairman scandals. Celebrity gossip shots. Idol scandals also sell for a good price.’
“I’m most confident in portrait photography.”
For a photo to make the front page of a newspaper, controversy and rarity were important, but so was visual appeal.
The more a photo captures people’s attention, the higher the price.
Because of that, he always paid attention to composition, angles, backgrounds, and image quality.
Thanks to that, he had earned the strange nickname of “the golden-handed psycho paparazzo,” but considering the money involved, he had been satisfied.
“Oh-ho. If you pass the audition, take a photo of us sometime.”
“Yes! Of course.”
“So then, what song did you prepare?”
The judges smiled brightly with anticipation.
“The song I prepared is the National Anthem.”
“What?”
The judges’ expressions immediately turned bewildered, though they forced smiles back onto their faces.
“The National Anthem?”
“That’s correct. I chose the National Anthem out of my love and affection for our country.”
“H-Haha. Patriotism is always great.”
After much consideration, he had chosen the National Anthem.
You had to know a song before you could sing it, and since he had never been interested in music to begin with, there wasn’t a single song whose lyrics he knew by heart.
‘Damn it. If I’d had more time, I could’ve looked up popular idol songs and practiced.’
Since he had to audition immediately, the only song he could sing without looking at the lyrics was the National Anthem.
‘Besides, if I want to make it onto the broadcast unedited among thousands of trainees, I need something memorable too.’
“You’re certainly a patriotic trainee.”
“Let’s hear your song.”
The judges, clearly struggling to maintain their expressions, smiled awkwardly.
‘Most importantly, criticizing the National Anthem here would practically be treason.’
“Yes. I’ll begin.”
The familiar accompaniment of the National Anthem began to play.
Looking directly into the camera, he raised his right hand and placed it solemnly over his chest.
‘This audition determines whether I live or die. I’ll give it everything I have.’
—
East Sea waters and Mount Baekdu…
—
“…!”
For the first time in his life, he sang the National Anthem… with more passion than ever before.
The notes came more easily than he had expected.
—
May it be preserved forever.
—
When he finally reached the chorus and finished singing with all his strength, the accompaniment came to an end.
As he lowered his solemnly raised hand, applause rang out from the judges’ table.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
“Wow, this is the first time I’ve ever seen a trainee sing the National Anthem this well.”
“Cha Siwoo, your love for the country is remarkable. Your vocal tone is really good too.”
‘It worked!’
He bowed ninety degrees toward the judges.
“Thank you.”
One of the judges picked up a microphone with a satisfied expression.
“Now that we’ve heard your singing, let’s move on to dancing.”
‘My first dance ever.’
“Yes. I’ll begin.”
The judge pressed a button, and a fast-paced song blasted from the speakers.
To the lively and energetic beat, he nodded his head.
‘Alright. Let’s feel the rhythm.’
Moving desperately to the beat, he threw his whole body into it.
“Khff…”
“Hahahahaha!”
‘…?’
Seeing the judges covering their mouths as they laughed, he danced even harder.
More accurately, it resembled wriggling for survival.
‘Even if I know nothing about dancing, I should at least try my hardest.’
There was no such thing as a half-hearted effort in front of a camera.
After all, no matter how bad someone was, people usually couldn’t bring themselves to harshly criticize someone who was genuinely trying.
After about a minute, the music booming through the speakers stopped.
His entire body burned with heat thanks to his passionate struggle.
‘I gave it everything.’
Sweat dripped down his forehead, and he wiped it away with the back of his hand.
In front of him, the judges looked as though they were about to die from laughter.
‘Go ahead. Laugh.’
“Bwahahahaha!”
“Pfft– Hahaha, sorry, sorry. Hahaha!”
‘Looks like the dancing didn’t work.’
One judge finally managed to calm down and clear his throat.
“Ahem, Cha Siwoo.”
“Yes?”
“How much dancing experience do you have?”
‘Today is literally the first time since kindergarten.’
“To be honest… I haven’t really been dancing for very long.”
If he admitted this was his first time dancing while applying to become an idol, it would definitely cause problems.
‘When the cameras are rolling, you have to watch your words.’
The internet was a place where even the tiniest flaw could ignite into a wildfire.
Most of the photographs he sold ended up on newspaper front pages, so he had seen countless people get torn apart in comment sections.
‘Of course, there were plenty of insults directed at me too.’
“Yes, that seems about right.”
Another judge, still wiping tears from their eyes, gave him a thumbs-up.
“I’ve never seen anyone make me laugh this much through dancing.”
“Your dancing was a disaster, but somehow you still kept the beat.”
“Have you ever learned rhythm formally?”
“No. Never.”
The judges whispered among themselves for a while before looking back at him.
“Cha Siwoo.”
“Yes?”
“The result of your Star Picking 5 first-round audition is…”
‘Gulp.’
“You pass.”
‘I did it!’
“Really?!”
“Yes. Your dancing was terrible, but the fact that you kept the rhythm shows growth potential. That’s the judges’ evaluation.”
“Your vocal tone was also good. More importantly, that face and that natural charm are incredible. We’re looking forward to seeing you in the survival show.”
“Thank you!”
The moment he bowed ninety degrees again, a familiar notification sounded.
Ding.
[Congratulations. You have completed Sub Quest (1): Pass the first-round audition for the Star Picking 5 audition program.]
The system window appeared as if it had been waiting for this moment.
‘Hey! Don’t just appear out of nowhere!’
Contrary to his worries, the judges showed absolutely no reaction to the suddenly appearing system window.
[Other people cannot see it.]
‘Oh, really?’
[Would you like to check your reward?]
‘Wait.’
Let’s leave first and check it outside.
After exiting the audition room, a staff member explained the details for successful applicants.
“The official filming will begin two weeks from now at TX Entertainment Broadcasting Station. We’ll shoot the opening video there before moving to the studio to start filming Star Picking 5 in earnest.”
“Yes.”
“You’ll be staying there with room and board provided, so only bring essential personal belongings. Most daily necessities will already be supplied.”
“Understood.”
After explaining the precautions, the staff member handed him a sheet containing the details.
“Cha Siwoo, then we’ll see you on filming day.”
“Thank you. See you in two weeks!”
Taking the paper, he quickly moved somewhere with fewer people.
‘Only two weeks remain.’
Within those two weeks, he had to improve enough to survive a brutal survival audition program.
Only after reaching a deserted park did he finally call out to the system.
“Hey!”
[Yes?]
“Let me see this reward you keep talking about.”
A square icon labeled Reward glimmered within the translucent blue window.
[Would you like to receive your reward?]
“Yes.”
Bright light suddenly engulfed the surroundings.
‘This thing really is an eye attack.’
Soon, his vision adjusted.
[Congratulations. As a quest completion reward, the Status Window has been unlocked.]
‘A status window?’
Ding.
The familiar notification sounded, and the blue translucent window stretched vertically.
—
[Status Window]
Cha Siwoo (20)
Appearance: A-
Singing: C-
Dancing: E
Star Quality (Charm): B+
Stamina: B+
Ability: ???
Status: A paparazzo who has returned to five years in the past.
—
‘Seeing it all laid out in numbers really makes this feel like a game.’
“So this is my current status?”
[Correct.]
“Why is Ability listed as ???”
[That information cannot yet be disclosed.]
‘The things I need most… singing and dancing, are low, while the weird stuff is high.’
“Appearance, I can understand, but why are Stamina and Star Quality so high?”
[Most people cannot survive on three to four hours of sleep per day. Years of pushing your body beyond its limits have given you stamina far beyond that of ordinary people.]
“Now that you mention it, I really didn’t sleep much while working. Then what about Star Quality?”
[That is the tutorial item you requested. I determined it was the most necessary trait for an idol and randomly increased it to B+.]
“If you were going to increase it anyway, you could’ve made it A+.”
[!!! You shameless scoundrel!!!]
Comments (0)